


(Adventure of Link) Link x Male!Reader ... Prince of Dreams

by LynneAshleyStories



Category: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Genre: AoL Link is yours, M/M, Refrences from a few other Zelda games, Takes place after Zelda 2, Your a male and so is Link!, damsel in distress stuff, warning of slight lemon later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2018-10-20 01:37:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10652274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LynneAshleyStories/pseuds/LynneAshleyStories
Summary: Ever since Link was a little boy, he has had vivid dreams of a handsome prince. Whether it would be a random dream or one with deep meaning, Link had found himself falling in love with this Dream Prince. After he rescues Zelda from her 300 year nap, he learns that his prince is actually alive, but in danger! With determination and a huge amount of courage, Link will set off to find his prince....you. But, will Link ever find you? And, more importantly, will he be the chosen one to rescue you? What if, in a cruel reality, it's supposed to be someone else?





	1. 11 years of Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> (F/C) = Favorite Color  
> (Y/N) = Your name  
> (H/C) = Hair Color  
> (E/C) = Eye Color  
> (Y/H) = Your Hobby  
> (A/H) = Another Hobby

Link looked on with a tired, yet satisfied, smile as the ever beautiful Zelda finally opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around her dusty chamber, as if fascinated by the location she was in. Hey, he would have done the same thing too, if he went to sleep and all of the sudden he was woken up in a crypt he had never seen before. In fact, he would have immediately explored the room and totally ignore any presence that was in the area. Well, at least he thought so, but he could be wrong. Anyhow, when Zelda's black eyes finally settled onto Link, she blushed and gave a tiny smile. Link had seen that smile before on many girls, and knew that she was thinking: 'My, what a handsome young knight'. Followed by said girl trying to hide her blush by rubbing her cheek, totally ignoring the fact that he already saw it. Oi, women were so weird to him... "You...must be my savior" she commented. Link merely nodded and respectfully awaited for the princess's next move.

After a few minutes, Zelda gathered enough energy to sluggishly stand up and walk down the red carpeted steps toward Link. It looked like she was ready to give him a speech about her gratitude... a long, unnecessary speech that Link loathed everytime he saved someone. Blah, blah thankyou and blah, blah you're a hero, it was always the same to him. He was humble, and no one really respected that about him. His ideal 'Thank you' was a quick sentence and a reward that was useful to his adventure, nothing more. With that in thought, Link sighed in annoyance as he braced himself, wondering how the princess will verbally torcher him. He watched as Zelda carefully lifted her dress up to not trip over the downward steps, a nervous smile plastered on her face. 'Oh, it is going to be BAD', he thought. Fortunately, she seemed so determined and prepared, that she somehow tripped while in thought. "O-oh dear!" She squeaked as she lost her footing. Link was quick to spring into action and catch her in his strong arms, ignorantly showing off his quick reflexes. He could tell that he impressed Zelda, because she stayed still for a good amount of time. Well, at least she was safe again, but now the two were embracing like a couple. It...slightly bothered Link, surprisingly. As pretty as she was, he just wasn't interested. His heart was somewhere else... to someone else, as cliché as it sounded. He wanted so badly to change the topic, embarrassed to reject Zelda if she confessed all of the sudden. "Whoa there, princess! Don't take things so quickly, now!" he warned with a light tone. The only response he received was her hum as she took in his warmth and protective aura, enjoying the embrace. 'Oh, great...' Link thought. 

"Knight, I must admit...You saved Hyrule and you are a real hero!" Zelda announced in a quiet voice. She looked up at her savior, and Link quickly put on a fake smile as to not discourage her. On the outside, it looked like he was saying 'I appreciate your kind words'. However, on the inside, he was saying 'Yup, yup, I already know...I heard it all before, so get to the point!' Zelda saw his smile and smiled along, believing his lie. "And on top of that, I will offer you a reward" she said with giddy. She pushed away from Link to stand up on her own, and it seemed that her feet were finally adjusted to walk properly again. She gracefully looked up at Link with a sweet face and leaned toward him using her tippy toes. Link had no idea what she was doing at first, but after he noticed her puckered lips and closed eyes, he was quick to lean away. "W-whoa, whoa, whoa!" he half heartedly yelled. His hands pushed Zelda away a bit, just enough to not seem totally rude. He then started to laugh awkwardly as Zelda pulled back, her eyes wide with confusion. Oh boy, here it comes... "Pr-princess, I ... know it's a traditional thing and all for a princess to kiss her hero...b-b-but I...I'm Kind of...saving my first kiss for s-someone else." He stuttered. He expected her to cry, but surprisingly enough Zelda just looked down in defeat and muttered an "Oh, I see..."

Link felt a tad bit guilty and sighed, wondering how this even came to be...Why in the world would he push a lovely princess away from her love and beauty? Who was more important and/or better than her? Especially if it was his only chance to get the perfect girlfriend and wife? Well...to be truthful, he had no idea...he didn't know who he loved, yet at the same time, he did. He remembered the first time he met the person, it always felt like he fell in love just yesterday. Ever since he could remember, he was head over heels for a mysterious person with no identity and no body. Well, a real world body, at least...

*Link's First Dream*  
Little five year old Link was playing in a beautiful garden, running after his pet bunny that seemed to be enjoying itself. It was Link's favorite place so far in his life, the garden was chock filled with trees, flowers, and other plants he didn't recognize at the time. The air was fairly warm, and the sun in the sky didn't burn him with its hot rays. There was no limit to the garden's beauty and space, so to him, it was absolutely perfect. But, it quickly became more so when a new figure appeared near him. 

All of the sudden, his pet bunny disappeared like a fading image. Link skidded to a halt and looked around for his beloved Sero, surprised that the fun was cut short. "Sero? Seeero! Where aaaaaaaare you?" he called out in a high pitched voice. Sero can't leave....the fun wasn't over yet! Did he take a break? If so, then he had to look for him! After a minute of scanning the area, Link saw no other living creature around him. That was weird, where did his fluffy bunny go? Little Link was very confused, bunnies can't disappear into thin air... Momma said so herself! Especially light blue ones with four eyes and gold wreaths for ears! It must have been just his imagination, like last time...Sero probably wanted to play a new game...It must be Hide-and-Go-Seek! Yeah, that's it!

Link took in a deep breath and tried to look for Sero again, determination reaching its maximum limit. He was going to find his white bunny, he was sure of it! And then they were going to play tag again, and run until his feet hurt! It was the perfect plan, nothing was going to stop him now! But, alas, his search didn't really last long when his attention was stolen by a shadow. As Link looked behind a large oak tree, he saw a person leaning on the other side of it. They were just staring into the sky, ignoring Link completely. Now, at his age, Link didn't like being ignored AT ALL. He puffed out his chest in annoyance and said "Hey, you!" in a loud voice. The figure looked over at Link and jumped a little in surprise. What? Did he not see him walk up to him, or something? 'What a weirdo...' Link thought. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come over..." the figure said in a masculine, yet gentle, voice. Oh! So it's a guy! Link mentally yelled in excitement. No girl cooties meant he can help search for Sero, which makes the search easier on Link. 

"I'm looking for my pet bunny! I need your help, stranger!" Link said, giving a heroic pose as he pointed toward the man's head. The man simply got off of the oak tree and stared down at Link. "Y-your...bunny? Are you...sure I'll be of any help?" he asked as he took a step back. "I...I'm not very good at catching innocent animals...especially those as cunning as rabbits..." "Whaaaaat? Don't say that!" Link exclaimed. He put his hand down and rested it on his free hip, smiling and nodding with a "You'll be the perfect ally to my seeking quest!" 

The man laughed and loosened up his stiff shoulders, Link's pep talk seemed to reassure him. This caused him to take a step forward. 'Yes! A helper!' Link thought. Now it was time for the hard part, and he wanted to waste no more daylight! "Okay, stranger! You start over there, and I'll start over here!" Link instructed as he pointed to east and west. The stranger nodded and headed toward his assigned area, finally stepping into the light of the sun. He left Link gawking at him, who was mesmerized by the his magnificence and beauty. To Link, the man had such silky and shiny (H/C) hair that was perfectly lengthened to his liking. The man had beautiful (E/C) colored gems for eyes, and Link swore they outshined the pretty diamonds in the night sky. The man was obviously Hylian, judging from his pale skin and long, pointy ears. And, all around him, he was hilly covered in gold jewels as his pearly white tunic was embroided and trimmed in the same colored gold. The male even had a long, white cape that served as a background for his (F/C) tights and boots. Link was still young, but he knew the stranger was a prince, seeing that his gold headpiece was a dead give away. "Wow...a prince..." Link said breathlessly. Link thought that the prince looked so pretty and pure...he had to know his name! He was going to hang out with him FOREVER!

"H-hey, stranger!" Link called out. The prince stopped in his tracks and looked back at Link with curiosity, giving off a soothing vibe that made Link smile and laugh a little. "Wha-what's your name, stranger?" He asked nervously. He grabbed a fistful of his shirt and awaited anxiously for the prince's answer. He saw the prince stare at him for a great while, as if contemplating on whether or not to answer. Link really wished with all of his heart the pretty prince would state his name, because that would mean trust... and trust meant friendship! And friendship meant that they would do that marrying thing his sister always talked about! That would be so great in his opinion!! Wait, two boys CAN get married, right? "Well..." the prince started. Link held his breath nervously and erased his thoughts as quickly as he could, not wanting to miss the prince's answer. "I...I suppose it won't hurt to tell" he said with a smile. Link took in his answer and smiled as widely as his body could stretch. Oh boy, here it comes! "It's...It's Prince-"  
*End of Dream*

Ever since then, for 9 years straight, Link had dreams of that same prince at least three times a week. With each dream, something different will happen, and every previous dream was never remembered by the prince. Well, all except Link. Link, for some reason, was the only thing the prince could ever remember. Not that Link was complaining, he didn't mind at all. In fact, Link was able to learn more and more about his dream prince with each passing night...all but his name, of course. The wrong questions led to the end of his precious dreams, which was not favored by Link. But, besides that, so far he learned that his prince was a gentle, soft, and kind hearted being that had so many hobbies like (Y/H) and (A/H). Everything he did, everything he said was like music to Link's ears. His prince was so heavenly, it was unbearable...it was clear to Link that he fell in love with the dreamy prince. As weird as it sounded, he wanted to marry his imaginative man without a doubt...even if he could never get his name. 

Alas, that kind of thing is impossible, even for a hero. Marrying someone from your dream? People would laugh at him... But, the reason Link didn't give up yet was because of a nagging feeling deep inside of him...That...that man had to be a real, living prince...he just HAD to be! There's no way Link would have made up someone so perfect as a five year old, there had to be a reason for the Prince's appearance in his life. And, by golly, he was going to find out even if it kills him! After all, he's already saved the princess and all of Hyrule, didn't he? His main job was done.

By the time Link and the 300 year old Princess Zelda returned to the Hyrule Castle throne room, the night sky was blanketing over the land. The stars were coming out, the nightly animals were starting to wake up, and the bustle of night activity was starting to erupt. Oh yes, it was time for the day people to sleep, and hopefully for Link it meant he will see his prince once again. He didn't want to be rude or anything, but he just had to see his dream prince that night. He wanted a clue to know where to start on his next adventure. So, in an anxious manner, Link dropped Zelda off in the throne room with the current Zelda and practically dashed toward an empty guest room. He searched for one that was unlocked and entered it without hesitation. Once inside, he locked the door to it and ungracefully took off his sword and shield, making large clanking sounds as they hit the floor. He didn't bother to move them again as he made a large leap to his bed, taking off his boots and belt and dropping them to the side. "Okay, Link..." He started to say to himself. "Sleep, and find secrets about that prince! You can do it, just...find a starting point!" he said out loud. "A starting point...to find him!" 

Little did he know, that as he fell backwards and tried to sleep, a magical being heard his plea. "It's time" it said.

*Link's Dream*  
Link was already walking, but he didn't know why. He was in a forest, and there were no monsters out to either spy or attack him. He found it odd, but after one glance at his side, he immediately knew what he was doing. He saw the ever beautiful Hylian Prince in his pure white glory, walking down the right side of the path and keeping his head faced forward. Like usual, he seemed to glow from the sun's rays as they peeked though the leaves of the trees above them. It was as if his prince was priceless and holy, but Link knew all too well that he can touch and caress his prince whenever he wanted to. He's done it quite a few times actually, either from rubbing his prince's cheek to kissing his hand or forehead. The prince never minded, in fact, Link thinks he enjoys it every time! 

Since Link was 16, his height forced him to look down at his prince, making him feel dominating and old enough to marry. Just the thought of staying with his (H/C) hair colored prince was enough to make Link stare even more with enchantment. In a few moments, the prince seemed to have noticed Link staring and looked right into his eyes. Link would have melted from those (E/C) eyes of his if not for the prince's surprised expression. "Wh...what is it? Is something the matter?" he asked. Link merely tilted his head and smiled guiltily, he just couldn't get tired of the prince's face, no matter how long he stared at him. "Nothing's the matter, I just like looking at you" he admitted. The prince's eyes grew wide, as if it was the first time he heard Link say that. He looked away with a red face, mumbling a thank you and making Link laugh. He was just so gosh darn cute, almost too cute for Link to handle. "No need to be so coy now, prince!" he said as he took a step closer to his prince. The prince didn't say anything, so Link took this opportunity to take his prince's chin and turn it toward him. "See? Now that's better! ... Well, at least on my part" he commented. The prince blushed even more, but didn't say anything. Link took this as an invitation and stopped walking, causing his prince to do the same. Link took another step toward him and leaned down a little, smiling tenderly and getting lost in the prince's (E/C) orbs. His lifted his prince's chin up a bit, getting their mouths closer and closer until both the men closed their eyes. 

All of the sudden, Link snapped out of his trance and looked down at his prince. Even when he was just standing there and watching, his prince looked calm and relaxed as the wind slightly blew on his locks of (H/C) hair. He was very kissable, and any idiot would take this as their one golden opportunity. But, as majestic as the prince was, Link couldn't kiss him...well, at least not yet. He needed to kiss his prince in the real world, with his real lips and real warmth. It would ruin his main objective if Link just lived in bliss in dream world and not in Hyrule, because then he might get lazy with satisfaction and not find his prince at all. No...he couldn't let that happen. He didn't want satisfaction, he wanted enjoyment and live life to the fullest. His body needed his prince, but not in a sexual way. It was...more like a "Seeing is believing" type of deal. In huge disappointment, Link sighed and pulled away. The prince didn't seem fazed by his action, but Link sure did feel like garbage. He waited his entire life to kiss his prince, and he STILL couldn't do it! However, it was certain from then on that his mission was no longer a "Want to find him", it was a "Need to find him". Link NEEDED to find and marry his prince in the real world, he refused to marry anyone else that wasn't as perfect as his beloved dream man.

He had to carry on his mission, he couldn't let any more obstacles slow him down...no matter how attracting they might be. Link needed to know more about his prince, but he didn't want to ask another "What's your name and end the dream" kind of question. He just had to find out which question to ask and not end the dream so abruptly. "Um...prince?" Link asked. His prince hummed in question, telling Link to go on. Link could only look away in thought, but then he immediately looked back with a lightened face. He himself didn't come up with the question, the dream is telling him to say "What happened to you?"

His prince stared at Link with a blank face, it was as if he was made of stone at that moment. Every thing around the two stood still, even the wind wasn't blowing like earlier. Link felt a tad bit nervous from the atmosphere, it all seemed eerie and surprised. When his prince finally made a move, Link's world changed to darkness. He looked around in surprise and scowled a bit. "Oh, great...the dream's gonna end, isn't it?!" he asked angrily. But, instead of seeing his room in the castle walls, he saw his prince again. He looked normal, but he was sitting next to Zelda in a garden, reading a book as she made a flower crown from the surrounding Silent Princesses. Link was shocked to see the calming sight. He wasn't...waking up yet? Yes! He asked the right question! He cheered to himself as the two continued to do their activities, it looked like he was going to get a lead. It was weird, because to Link, that Zelda next to his prince looked awfully familiar...

"Okay Zelda, I think I got it!" the prince said. He put down his book and looked at Zelda, waiting for her to finish her crown. "H-hang on now, brother...Just ...one...more...There!" Zelda said. She giggled as she got on her knees and put the crown on her supposed brother's head. The prince looked at it as she leaned back and laughed. "It looks so pretty on you!" she commented. The prince blushed and rubbed the back of his head, as if he was unsure about what to say "Th-thank you, Zelda...It's nice". Zelda nodded and sat back down, ready for her brother's activity. "Okay, now you can do it" she said. Her brother nodded and faced his body toward her, cupping his hands in front of himself. "O-okay...let's see now..." he started off. Link watched curiously in the background as the prince's hands were filled with bright and shiny gold sand. "What? Where did that come from?" Link asked himself. Zelda looked at his hands in amazement too, and waited for him to finish his spell. 

When the prince opened his eyes again, he looked at his hands and smiled widely "Yes! I did it!" he said happily. "D-does it work?!" Zelda asked anxiously. '''Does it work?' It's supposed to do something?" Link wondered. He decided to get a little closer to the two siblings and watched his prince intently. Said prince shrugged his shoulders and cuffed all of the sand into one hand, pinching some of it with his free hand. He cautiously leaned forward as Zelda tightly closed her eyes, dashing the sand on top of them. At first, nothing happened. Zelda opened her eyes and looked at her brother questioningly, asking "Is it supposed to take a minute to settle?" 

The prince didn't know how to answer her, and sighed in defeat. He looked very distressed as he put the sand into his spare pouch, earning a pat from Zelda. "I'm sure you'll get it next time" she said with support. The prince merely looked away and crossed his arms, not buying her sympathy. "I'm 16 already, Zelda. I should have gotten the hang of these powers a long time ago! How can I be the next Sandman if I keep failing my spells?" the prince argued. Zelda looked down with sad eyes and took back her hand, folding them on top of her lap. She stayed dead silent as her brother kept reading his book, thinking about how to cheer him up. She obviously felt bad for him, and wanted to help anyway she could, but she seemed troubled on how to do it. 

It was amazing that the prince had magic powers like that, but Link was occupied with something else. "What in the world is a Sandman? And what does this have to do with finding my prince?" Link asked himself. Sure, the Zelda he's seeing might be a clue, but is she a big enough clue for him to lead on? Link had to find out more, but how much more will this dream show him? Maybe if he just asked again..."What happened to you, Prince?" he asked loudly. The image of the royal siblings stayed for a second, and Link almost thought his question wouldn't work again. But, at that second, his world turned black again. The knight became excited and looked around the empty space, waiting for another piece of the puzzle. 'Hopefully this time it will be something helpful' Link thought. He started to hear voices, and the both of them were incredibly familiar. At first they were distant and Link couldn't hear what they were saying, but then the voices slowly became closer and coherent. "Come on, tell me!" one of them said. It sounded like the person as right next to Link, and all faded into the colors of the castle wall. 

Link saw that he was in a study, and his beloved prince was having a chat with Zelda. "Come now, brother...I know you don't have a piece of the Triforce like Roderick, but surely you must have a stronger magic than putting people to sleep!" she complained. Link's prince sighed and leaned back on his chair. He looked tired and annoyed, as if Zelda had exhausted him "I told you, Zelda. I can also control everyone's dreams. I am the next Sandman, but I just...I just don't know how to control that power yet" he explained. 'Again with the Sandman...what is that?!' Link thought. But, at least he knows now what his prince can do...maybe THAT'S why he was in Link's dreams...Zelda hummed in acknowledgement and sat back on her seat, thinking about what to do. She looked bored, and was probably willing to ask anything that popped into her mind. "Are you...the ONLY one with these powers?" she asked curiously. The prince stared at her with wide eyes, realizing that he never thought about rivalry. "I...I don't know...that's a very good question, Zelda" he admitted. Zelda smiled happily, feeling that she accomplished a small mission. "Now I guess that starts the search, does it not?" She asked. Her brother merely shrugged and fixed his hair, directing his (E/C) eyes toward the window. 

"I hope we're not speaking too loudly...a rival might be hearing us" He said quietly. Zelda turned her head to the window and quickly turned back to her brother, even more confused than earlier. "Asen...being observed? Now how can that be?" she asked. Link looked the prince curiously too, wondering where he was getting at. "It's just a feeling..." the prince said bluntly. "Well...whatever! Let's sharped your powers!" Zelda said enthusiastically. She jumped up and gently took her brother's hands, pulling him up and leading him out the door. "If you want to be a Sandman, you need to practice non stop! But, we have to hurry, though. Father said he wanted to have a talk with me later about the Triforce. It must be something important"  
*End of Dream*

Link opened his tired eyes and looked around his room. Darn it...he woke up...everything looked the same as before he went to sleep. He sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking out the window. Huh...it was day break. It looked like the sun just barely rose in the sky, because everything outside was orange, red, and yellow. The air was kind of chilly, but that wasn't enough to keep Link from stretching his limbs and hopping out of bed. He felt refreshed, a full night of sleep always made him feel energized. Now, ideally, he would be annoyed by now because the dream from last night just ended abruptly. But, he actually learned some valuable information. It was, without a doubt, that the Zelda he rescued yesterday was the same one in his dream. It looked like her and his prince were close, so maybe she really could be a huge lead to his search. But, after yesterday's rejecting...was she REALLY going to help Link? Eh...worth a shot. 

At about noon, Link made the assumption that the 300 year old princess was up and about. He decided to wander the castle in search of her, occasionally passing by maids and servants who looked very busy. He also spotted a few knights scattered among the castle, wielding small weapons to not scare off the staff. He recognized a few of them, but mostly they were new recruits that the castle hired for safety. At least that's what Link heard. "Have you seen the Princess?" He asked one of the knights. The knight stood still in his metal armor, but Link knew he heard his question. After all, it was a Castle Knight's job to stand still and monitor everyone's every movement. His own movement, however, was considered dishonorable. "Which one?" the knight asked gruffly. "Um, the older one. The one I saved yesterday?" Link answered. He had to wait a few moments before the knight finally answered with a huff "I think I saw her head toward the garden, but she didn't look cheery"

Link rolled his eyes and turned away, thanking the knight as he headed toward the Castle Garden. Was Zelda really upset about his rejection from yesterday? They barely even knew each other! Oi, once again women were so weird..."Is something the matter?" Link heard from behind him. He looked at the owner of the voice, and found himself looking down at the current princess of Hyrule. Well...he at least found ONE of the princesses...but she wasn't going to be any help. "N-nothing's wrong. I just, uh, need to have a talk with your ancestor family member." Link said. Zelda nodded and hummed in acknowledgement, looking off toward the window. "You know, we needed you yesterday night when you ran off like a rabbit. What happened?" she asked absent mindedly. Link flinched a little, he forgot that he ran off in a rushed manner. And the fact that they needed his presence made him feel embarrassed. But, the information of his prince he received was enough to keep him from feeling too guilty about his behavior. "Oh, I'm sorry about that. I was...e-extremely tired. I really wanted to go to bed" he admitted. Well, he wasn't lying, but he was leaving out the part about his prince. This Zelda won't believe him, but he had a feeling the other Zelda would. 

The current Zelda merely stared up at Link with a blank facial expression, looking lifeless, yet wise and experienced. "If you say so, then I will respect your needs. But, please, be more aware next time" she warned. Link breathed out in relief, glad to not be in serious trouble. Anything serous, and the princess will either kick him out of the guard, or forbid him from ever coming to the castle again. That would be great, if his sworn duty wasn't to keep the royal family safe for the rest of his life...Why in the world did he promise his parents that in the first place?! It's more of a burden then a job, really...

Not wanting to admit his feelings, Link bowed to Zelda with gratitude and mumbled a "Yes, your majesty". Zelda seemed satisfied with Link's answer and nodded, turning toward her study and leaving Link alone. Once she was out of sight, Link hurriedly jogged toward the Castle's garden, wanting no more engagements with other people. He found it difficult to tell people "No" when they want to chat, so avoiding eye contact and slow movement was his go-to-plan. It worked, but to navigate the large cobble stone castle wasn't as easy. To think, after spending six years in that place, he would be fortunate enough to at least find the stairs. But, of course not! Every time he tried, he'd get lost again! "Who makes castles this big, anyway?! It's like being in a temple!" Link asked himself anxiously. He wanted the info about his prince FAST, he didn't know why he was in a hurry, but he just felt like it was necessary. He took a glance to the left and saw a girl in black and white, cleaning a portrait. He saw his opportunity and skidded to a halt in front of the maid, interrupting her task. "Hey, where are the stairs in this place?" he asked loudly. The maid jumped from his sudden outburst and turned to him with fear. She looked dirty and skinny, but Link didn't really have time to dwell on that fact. "U-um...second to the right in the middle hallway?" She answered in a quiet voice. She clenched her rag a little as Link nodded a thanks and ran off, making Link feel odd as her eyes stung his back. What was with that girl...? Oh well...

He sped down six flights of stairs after finally finding them and hopped toward the castle garden, where the 300 year old Princess Zelda was sniffing roses. It was a beautiful garden: full of scattered Rose Trees, neat symbolized patches of various flowers, and a center fountain that spewed water into thin ground troughs that reached to the outline of the area. As pretty as the garden was, Zelda looked very sad... but Link was sure it was from the rejection yesterday. All he had to do was apologize, then ask if she had a brother. If she did, then he can explain his dream to her, and he'll get a large lead toward the location of his prince! Well, at least that's what he has planned... He took a deep breath and dramatically slowed his pace, strolling up to Zelda with a calm expression. He didn't want to freak her out with the sense of urgency like with the maid, which, by the way, he WILL fix up later! But, for now, he had to look civil and friendly. He didn't want to risk anything that involved his beloved prince.

"Er, h-hello Princess Zelda" Link greeted nervously. Zelda looked up at Link and became flustered, dropping her roses by accident as she stood up and dusted off her dress. "O-oh, it's you, knight! I...didn't expect you to visit me...y-you know, after what I attempted yesterday..." she said. She looked away with a red, but ashamed, face as her hands folded in front of her chest. Link had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the Princess's behavior, she was too wishy-washy in his opinion. "I, actually, wanted to apologize for yesterday. I was completely rude to you, and I deeply regret it" he lied. Zelda sadly smiled up at Link and said "Thank you, Hero. But, If you're trying to cheer me up, it will not work..." 

Link cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, was Zelda NOT depressed about his rejection? Then, what else could possibly be the matter-? "Huh?" he asked. Zelda looked away again and turned toward a stained glass window, admiring its many colors and symbol of the Hylian Crest. "Family doesn't live forever, my dear knight...While I was asleep, my family lived on....and so did everyone else I knew...It's hard to keep a smile on my face when I see these new faces in my old home" she explained. She sighed and looked down, breathing deeply as if to keep from crying. This made Link feel guilty and caused his ears to droop a bit. That's right, everyone she knew is dead now....She must feel horrible about waking up, and Link's rude talk probably didn't make her feel any better. As much as he wanted to help the depressed princess out, he already had a mission he just can't hold off any longer; as selfish as it sounded, he wanted no more obstacles in his way. But, how to do it and not upset Zelda? That might be a little tricky...or, maybe not if he did it right. But, again, he'll fix it up later. "W-well...um....are you ...are you sure EVERYONE you know is gone? Didn't you have, like...oh, I don't know...a brother?" Link asked casually. He saw Zelda stiffen up and turned to him, her eyes wide in realization. Did he hit a nerve, or something? Or did he remind her of a magically living family member that has been showing up in his dreams? "You're the one-...?" she asked breathlessly. Link became confused and asked "I'm the one...what?"

He didn't get an answer as Zelda lunged at him and gripped the sides of his head with her gentle hands, inspecting him as he stood there awkwardly. "Oh-um-what-....what are you-?" "That must be why you rejected me yesterday! You have your eyes on my brother, don't you? When did you start getting these dreams? Do you know anyone else who's gotten them? What does the man in your dreams look like? Is it really HIM you're dreaming about?!" Zelda quickly asked. For a second, Link had to remember and comprehend what she asked, but then he blushed immensely and pulled Zelda's hands away. He was flustered that she said his preference out loud without so much as disgusted face, let alone as part of a barrage of questions. "What are you talking about, princess?" he asked her. Zelda sighed heavily and gripped Links hands tightly "You just asked about my brother! Nobody has ever known I have a living brother, only a special person can know of him!" she yelled. She must have expected Link to think on the situation, because when he smiled widely, she became angry and frustrated. "What's so funny?! This is serious! My poor brother (Y/N) is in trouble, and you're possibly going to be his hero! This isn't a laughing matter!" she exclaimed. Alas, in Link's defense, it was actually all too good to be true... he was barely believing his ears. His prince really is her brother...and hand his name is (Y/N)! It really suited him, Link felt connected to that name and face already. "(Y/N)...W-well...I was always hoping he was a real human being...And now you just...c-confirmed it..." Link trailed off happily. "I'm really gonna meet him face-to-face...!"

Zelda softened up and let go of Link's hands, finally understanding his position. "Ah, I see now...that is why you ran off last night...to dream of my brother?" she whispered. Link blushed even harder and looked away as he rubbed the back of his neck, he felt like he was too easy to read a times. "Y-y-yeah...I...I guess so...hahahah..." he admitted. Zelda giggled at Link and sat down on the soft grass of the garden, patting a spot next to her. "Sit down, hero. If you're looking to rescue my brother, then I will tell you a story. It's a long one, and I can only tell you what I know about what happened" she said. Link smiled widely and immediately sat down next to Zelda, listening intently to every word that left her mouth. Once Link finds his prince, not only will HE be happy, but Zelda won't be completely alone in the new Hyrule.


	2. What happened to you, Prince?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your story finally gets told, but can Link really handle your past? What is contained in it that Link won't like? Find out as you realized what really happened to you, 300 years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed that, in the first chapter, the story was not in your context or P.O.V when the scene was on you, when clearly this is supposed to be a reader's insert. I don't want to spoil too much by saying this, but it has to be noted that the dream you Link sees ISN'T YOU. Who Link sees is an image created by (Blank) to make him gather feelings for you. You, your real self, have no idea about any of this. But, in this chapter, it will tell of your memory, so it will finally be in your context. Enjoy it while it lasts...

In your regal clothing of white and gold, you were tapping the beautiful marble floor with your new white boots as Din's Waltz was being composed in the background. The orchestra was doing a fabulous job to make your body sway to their melody, there were at least 20 of them creating the ballad for your parents' ball; all dressed in green, red, and blue tunics as a symbol for music and dance. It was a lovely atmosphere with food, chatter, and hospitality...a castle ball for the kingdom's success in its golden age. But, your shyness was kind of ruining the experience. The room you were in wasn't at all crowded, but there were quite a few other dancers with partners that made you feel intimidated. Your lady friend, a random princess from Labrynna you didn't have interest in, wasn't much comfort as she tried to copy your steps and look as graceful as everyone else.... You didn't like to be near people, their presence is just too overwhelming and the possibility of embarrassing yourself in front of them is close to 100%. But, as the emergency heir to the throne, you had to join the dance anyway, and that was bad enough. But, your parents sticking you with a stranger and hoping you would marry? Yeah, that was a bit overboard, and the fact that the princess was social with everybody made you feel even more shy. You felt that your anxiety would get the better of you soon..."Hey, prince! Let's have a dance off with those guys!" Very. Soon.

"A dance-off? Really? It's a ball, miss Naydra, not a party" you told her. You watched as the princess in blue rolled her eyes and waved her hand toward you. "Same thing, Prince (Y/N). Jeez, why dontcha loosen up once in a while? C'mon!" she said, giving a wide smirk as she went to grab your hand. How annoying...You quickly pulled your hand back and tried, once again, to gently reject her. "I-I am sorry, but I won't allow you to put my dancing in vain. It's like asking my appointed knight to enter a meaningless competition for boar meat. It...just isn't fair to other people." You explained with a light voice, hoping you weren't being too rude. Honestly, it wasn't the best comparison, but it was the best you could come up with on such short notice. Which probably might have been copied from a book you read the other day, but you read so many books it's hard to tell which one... In the background, the music was starting to speed up, and you were hoping that your explanation was simple and lighthearted enough for the princess. But even then, Naydra gave you a confused look and stood still in front of you for a second, making you feel a little angry and impatient. "Come again?" she asked in a slightly comical voice. "Y-you're joking...right?" you asked with an unamused expression. Naydra giggled at your reaction as your blood started to heat up. It wasn't that hard to comprehend, was it? For being named after a wise protector, this princess was very...ignorant, in your opinion. At least the princess of Holodrum, Dinraal, had a little more sense of her name origin...constantly working to make her magic more powerful than the previous day. If that's the case, then why isn't Naydra studying like a book worm? Or at least singing her lungs out? You sighed in annoyance and had to keep yourself from walking away, this princess was indeed dead to you. There were two ways to push your buttons, treating serious situations like a joke, and doing evil/wrong actions for no reason. Naydra seemed to have been both qualities, sadly... hah, your parents really know how to pick them, don't they?

"L-look, just forget it and find something less noticeable to do" you offered. 'Like reading a book for the first time' you mentally thought afterward. All Naydra did was continue to laugh a little, making you feel like you wasted your time. You didn't want to be with her for another second, but yet you didn't want her father to see you leaving her all of the sudden. The last thing you wanted was a conflict between the two kingdoms, and YOU being the cause of it. In situations like these, you wish a hero would just come along and carry you away from your problems...like a knight in shining armor. Yes, yes, you were a male, but it didn't mean you couldn't think of getting rescued by, you know, another male...hence the main reason why you didn't find a lady to marry yet. You didn't want a lady, but no one knew that..."Any problems here?" asked a deep voice from behind you. Well, all but one person, at least. You turned around and looked up at the owner of the voice, your heart lifting in relief. "O-oh, hello Link" you greeted with a smile. Your appointed knight, Link, looked down at you with a cold stare before looking at Naydra with an even colder one. Naydra shrunk back a bit at his presence, shutting up completely as you adjusted the gold crown that circled around your head. "I-I, uh...think my dad's calling me!" she gasped, quickly walking away to the buffet table and leaving you alone for the rest of the night. Link always seemed to have a frightening effect on people, but once again that quality of his came in handy for you. In fact, the main reason you hired him was because of his isolation and quiet nature, being able to scare away people when he wanted to be alone, which was all the time. As a bonus, he was much more shy than you, but he shows it in a form of a lifeless act, that way people don't tease him...because they won't get a reaction besides scorn. Behold, your Knight in Shining Armor! Or, more like your Hero in a Green Tunic.

Link stared at Naydra with his beautiful sapphire eyes, studying her like a suspicious enemy that's ready to attack. After being with him for a couple of years, you learned that he treats everything so seriously, especially to the women you were to "Meet with". Boy, he was worse than you at times, and you really liked that. This caused you to laugh a little at his behavior and tap his hand "Link, I don't think she'll be of any bother to us anymore. Thanks to you" you thanked. It took Link a second to look back at you, this time with a softer expression. "This marrying business isn't necessary for you, I hope they know that" he commented about your parents, sounding neither excited nor annoyed. You nodded in agreement, feeling your face go red as you stared at his complexion, but at the same time trying to casually talk to him. "Y-yeah, er, It's Zelda they need to worry about" Man, he had such beautiful and scruffy brunette hair...reaching down to his shoulders...  
"Yeah, she's the one that'll carry on the blood of the goddess"  
"The true blood of the royal family, at that" He was so tall...almost a head taller than you.   
"Even if you DO have kids, they won't matter as much as Zelda's daughter"   
"Many...many Hyrulean Kings were not ...um ... originally part of the family because of the princess's marriage..." He was very strong, and the evidence was clearly shown under this tunic and long sleeves, your face probably got redder.  
"Hmm, I heard that most kings were confused about our 'The females are the heir to the throne' deal"  
"... ... ... Oh! Um, yeah, they, uh... ... th-they constantly ask why the males, M-me and Roderick, are the 'Emergency Heirs'" You can't really help it, Link's tunic is kind of short, and thank the goddesses he's only wearing shorts underneath and not tights.  
"Hey, Prince (Y/N), are you even here?" Snap, snap. You heard his fingers snap in front of your nose and you quickly shook your head, trying not to stare longer than you intended to. Oh gods, you were probably noticed again..."U-u-uh, wh-what was that?" you stuttered quickly. To your disappointment, Link huffed and looked around the ballroom, possibly angry about your weak conversation "Nothing, your highness" he said. 

If Link ever did like you, you can never tell with his constant blank expression. He was very unreadable, but you were surprised that he didn't quit yet, especially after noticing how (As much as you hate to admit it) perverted you are. "By the way, prince" Link started. You looked up at Link and hummed, telling him to keep going. You were so glad about the change in subject..."I don't think it'll happen at this moment, but I feel like someone's after you. I need to stay at your side for the rest of the night, to make sure your safe" he said, gesturing to the sword and shield on his back. Once again, your heart was lifted in relief, now your knight in shining armor was going to stay with you until everyone leaves! With him around, no one will bother you, and that right there is a perfect night in your eyes. "Come on, the waltz is picking up" Link reported, roughly grabbing your hand and pulling you toward the outline of the dancing floor. Amazingly enough, his hand was actually very soft, and warm... Just as you two exited, everybody started to swing and spin at a rate that would have pummeled you to the ground, making you look at Link in gratitude. "Hah, I wouldn't have noticed. Th-thank you again." you said. Link merely shrugged and kept his eyes on the dancefloor, commenting "Yeah, because the way you were staring at me, you wouldn't have noticed an avalanche if it hit"

Your face became redder than any apple that grew in your garden, how can he say that in front of so many people?! Especially when you two were in a age where, well, male and male was a sin. You heard that a peaceful man once got executed by fire because he was caught kissing another guy! You didn't want that kind of fate for Link OR you... "P-pipe down, Sir Link! Someone will hear you!" You warned. Surprisingly, instead of a hum from your knight, you earned a squeeze from his hand. Oh yeah, your hands were still holding each other, this made you flustered as you looked down at them. It was nice, but the wrong person might see the action..."U-um...Link?" you whispered. "Yes?" he asked in his same tone of voice. What to ask...how to ask it...hmm... "Could you...do this where no one's looking, at least?" you suggested. You tried to smile to not make it awkward, but it was replaced with nervousness as Link smirked for the first time ever...to you, at least. "Heh, just as dirty as ever, huh?" he said in a low voice. He let go of your hand as you stood like a statue, stunned and flustered from his comment. Wh-what?! Dirty-?! You would have lashed out at him in embarrassment, but there were still people watching. For now, you had to suck it up and get out of the ballroom, with Link at your heels. Anymore time in there, and you would have done something incredibly stupid...like kiss him. At this point, it really can't be helped, can it?

Once you and Link finally exited the ballroom, you noticed that the air in the hallway was cool and breathable. You took in a deep breath with satisfaction and said "I'm glad we're out of there...It was so stuffy, per usual". Link didn't seem to hear your comment, but instead he kept walking, as if expecting you to follow him. You had no idea where he was heading, but you were curious, and anxious, to find out. Leaving behind the muffled waltz in the other room, you started to stroll along with Link in the beautiful marble hallway. It wasn't until after a minute or two you realized how fast he was. Either that, or he had long legs that allowed him to take long steps. You had to speed up your walking to catch up with him, but even then it was so hard to keep at his speed. "H-hey, um...Link? Could you, by any chance, slow down?" you asked him with a laugh. Link did slow down for you, but after a few more steps, he stopped completely and stood in the corridor intensely. He seemed to be stiff, his hands clenching and unclenching as the distant music started to dissolve. Your heart dropped from the threatening atmosphere, it seemed so happy and alive a second ago...now it looked like there was going to be a fight. Your heart rate started to increase, and you began to sweat about the thought of an attack. 

"L-Link-?" Before you could finish your question, Link immediately grabbed you and lunged into the next hallway, standing around a corner as a pair of doors were crashed into a wall with immense force. Screams erupted from the ballroom, and Link held onto you tightly as he peeked toward the commotion. "I knew it..." he mumbled. 'What? What did he know? What happened?' you asked yourself. You wanted to ask Link the same questions, but he cut you off early and took your hand. "Come on" he ordered, running at full speed and dragging you along. It was a sudden start, and you tried your best to keep up, but he took so many twists and turns in the hallways that you nearly tripped a few times. He then immediately took a nearby flight of stairs and dashed down them, still holding onto you as he went into another confusing corridor. He was so fast, it really blew your mind how such speed was human-like. But, with all of his rushing and that angry expression on his face, it looked like he was trying to lose something... or someONE..."Wh-where are we going?!" you asked as you started to pant. You didn't have the best stamina in the family, and you knew you were going to get tired very soon.

"I need to put you somewhere safe" He said as calmly as he could. "S-safe?! B-but then wh-who's after us?!" you practically yelled in fear. Oh gods...what did you do to anger someone like this?! You couldn't remember doing anything wrong, all of your decisions were thought out to make everyone in the kingdom happy...but maybe perhaps what you did sometime ago was an accident, or maybe it's just a thug trying to steal royalty, a very common occurrence. But, whatever it was, it seemed to be life threatening, a very scary thought to you. "It looked like a Sandman, but I couldn't be sure" Link answered. He looked back at you for a split second before turning back to the task at hand, speeding up his pace. You, on the other hand, were in complete shock and started to slow down. There...there was really another Sandman?! Your sister was right?! Not only that, but he's a rival that wants to kill you?! What was going on?! You thought Zelda was joking...and that presence you felt earlier was just an ominous feeling you usually get after reading a very scary book. But now he was here...not to compete in a Daydream Challenge for the Sandman title, but to completely eliminate you like a killer... It wasn't something you imagined would happen. 

When you stopped talking to yourself mentally, the real world crashed you against Link as he halted on the last few steps of the stairs you were on. You looked over his muscular shoulder to see what the problem was, and your heart stopped from the sight of the man in front on you. Link put his arm out in front of you protectively as he got his sword out, asking "What do you want?" You gulped, waiting for an answer as you stared at the man's occult-like red cloak. The screams upstairs were muted to you, and the stairwell seemed to have grown darker. "I broke through a crowd and smashed two large doors just to come up and give that prince a gift basket...Idiot! What the hell do you think?!" the man said in a cackling voice. 'Sassy one, isn't he?' you thought. You dared to look at Link, and sure enough his eyes narrowed onto their target. He quickly took out his shield and stood straight up "I'm his appointed knight, so you have to get pass me, first" he said in a deep and menacing voice. He almost seemed angry, there was protection in his tone, but mostly he seemed very mad at the man in front of you two. "Hahahah! YOU? Fight a Sandman? That's funny!" the man said. He got into a position to take something out of his side pouch, and waited for Link's move. You thought the man's eyes were already opened under his shadowed hood, but you took it back when two white orbs appeared against the darkness. "Try it!" he said. 

You knew Link was well-aware of the powers of a Sandman, considering he's been by your side as you studied your powers. If done right, even the smallest pinch of sand, or Sleepsand as it's really called, will throw anyone in a deep sleep. It'll be hard to wake up as if, but considering how serious your rival seemed to be, and how determined your appointed knight was, you knew he was going to go all-out and use a special Sleepsand called "Coma". Coma, you learned, is used on people who need undisturbed sleep for long periods at a time, like if their head was badly injured and it needs to be fixed naturally. Sleep can do so many wonders for that situation, but to put the Sleepsand on someone who doesn't need it could be life threatening. If Link wasn't careful, you could lose him...and you didn't have anything that would default the sand magic to save him... "P-please be careful, Link..." you warned him, worry showing crystal clear in your eyes. Link looked at you and merely nodded, pushing you back as he said "Try not to get in that guy's way, I don't think you have immunity".

"Hahahah! The strongest Sandmen DO, on the other hand! This'll be EASY!" the man scoffed, reaching into his pouch and throwing a handful of platinum sand at Link. Without a doubt, it really was the Coma Sleepsand you were talking about...you knew, because regular Sleepsand was golden, and coma Sleepsand was platinum. Ones for cat naps were merely bronze-like, but it looked like the man didn't carry anything weaker than Coma...This forced you to quickly ran back up the stairs a little, just enough for your body to give up and grow heavy from the workout Link gave you. 'Gee, what perfect timing...' you thought as you panted and leaned on a railing, feeling like you were a safe distance from the fight. You could see everything the two men were doing, but you were deathly afraid for Link...that sand was so dangerous and hard to miss if it's in the air. Can he really do it? If so, then you really plan on dubbing him as a higher ranked knight. You tried to strain your eyes to look for any more pouches on the cloaked man, but it was hard to see with his movement. You were praying to the gods that he only made one pouch of Coma Sleepsand.

Meanwhile with Link, he expertly flipped over the Sandman's attack and got out from the range of the sand, landing behind his enemy without so much as a sound. Now that he was off the stairwell, he can fight without limits. The man saw this and turned around quickly, obviously impressed by Link's skill. "Huh, you can go a pretty far distance with just one hop..." the man said. In response, Link ignored his praise and lunged at the man, his sword tilted to the side to make a fine horizontal cut. Once Link swiped his sword, the man moved back and missed it by a hair, saying "And your speed is most impressive..." Slice! Link attacked again, but the man dodged it easily. Link tried again, but again he was evaded. He tried a few more times, following the man as he kept trying to land a hit on him. The man didn't get ONE scratch, but Link wasn't going to give up that easily. He kept trying, but during that the man reached into his pouch again. He threw another handful of sand at Link, and Link was quick enough to roll to the side thrust at the Sandman. The evil man just stepped to the side, and once Link was close enough, he threw two handfuls of Sleepsand at him. The Hylian jumped backwards as he saw no way to jump to the sides, but then the man just ran at him, trying to stay close to Link as he kept the Sleepsand coming, not letting Link jump over him again. Link was forced to keep jumping backwards, and you noticed that the man's hood moved a littles he did this, right around the mouth area...it was as if he was smiling to himself. You became worried and walked down the steps a little, your eyes following Link as he was forced to keep jumping backwards into a corner.

Link's back finally hit the two connected walls, he looked back at it and glared at the Sandman, getting ready to thrust forward and stab him. The man laughed at Link's attempt, it looked like it was comedy gold to him, he wasn't taking your knight seriously! This made you angry as you unknowingly stepped onto the ground level floor "Go on, kill me. But don't forget, you can't escape my Sleepsand now!" the man taunted, taking out his pouch and getting ready to dump the rest in the air. He really only came with one pouch? Phew, thank goodness...but, of course, the Coma Sleepsand was pretty difficult to make, you thought. "Let's see if I can kill you first before you can put me in a coma..." Link said calmly, tightening the grip on his sword. The sandman laughed and nodded, grabbing a hold on the bottom and top of his sand pouch "Then it's a race!". Your heart sped up, hearing Link say the stakes so calmly, as if he didn't care if he died. He was willing to die just to kill that man and keep you safe...No, you couldn't let that happen-! He...Link... can actually get far in life, you thought. You knew his skills were the line between life and death against enemies, and Hyrule needed a knight like that...If not, then your father's kingdom will...fall...and YOU'LL be the cause of everyone's death and defeat...Not only that, you really liked Link..."Like" asen want to be with him forever, both of you alive and happy. This feeling made you believe that his life is more valuable than your own, and some powerful force was pushing you toward the dual. Thankfully, Link wasn't noticing so he could stop you. 

"Bye-bye!" The man called out as the inside of his right sleeve rustled a little. Link wasted no time to use his very last ounce of energy to dash forward, his sword ready to stab the man's flesh. But, instead of pouring the sand on Link as expected, the man cheated and used super-human speed to move to the side as best he could and reach out his foot. You saw his plan and lunged at Link, yelling "Link!!" The man received a scratch on his cloak from Link's attack, but it was worth it when he saw Link's surprised face as he tripped him over, pouring the last of the sand onto the knight in unison. In your own perfect timing, your plan succeeded as you fell on top of Link and felt the sand fall on you, immediately making your world pitch black. 

Zelda sighed and leaned on the grass of the garden, not looking at Link as she remembered the incident. "And so, that man teleported away, laughing at the knight's distress. We later found out that the man used a special clock to slow down time and attack him in such a matter...it was not honorable in a fight like that..." she explained. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what happened afterwards, most of her memory was blurry from the sleep, it seemed to Link. "He brought your prince to his Nursemaid, and she took him away. I only heard the story, but that knight never told me where my brother was taken to...and, ever since then, every night people had nightmares for as long as that Sandman lived in rule. I don't know how long that lasted, for I was put to sleep myself before I can see that outcome." Zelda finally finished. She looked at Link, hoping to find him satisfied with her tale. But, instead, she saw him depressed as he hugged his knees and groaned comically. "K-k-knight?" she asked. Link took in a deep breath and sighed dramatically, lifting his head and resting his chin on his knees. "That old man died and he STILL one-ups me! Aaaaaahhhhh..." he whined. "Old...man?" Zelda asked. Link nodded his head and turned his head toward her, pressing his cheek against his knee. "That guy 'Link' you talked about was my grandpa, no mistake about it! Never knew that guy was so serious at one point, though." he confessed. Yep, his grandfather was the first knight in their small family, not to mention a loud-mouthed show-off that made his descendants feel like trash every time he unearthed another story about himself. Oh? You did something adventurous today? Here's a story of how I did better than that. You found something weird? Oh, here's a weirder item I found. Working hard? Let me tell you when I was worked to the bone. This happened with everyone in the family, especially him, his grandson, Link... Link felt the lowest when comparing his journey with his grandfather's...saving Hyrule was small compared to his grandfather...he didn't hate the old man, but he suuuuure didn't like to be around him for long periods at a time. He already heard, like, a hundred different stories, and it looks like he's STILL hearing more, how many adventures did he have?! "Th-then...then you're-?" Zelda asked, not daring to finish her question. It looked like she finally knew her savior's name, at the last moment "Uhuh, I'm Link the Third...and my prince was in love with my stupid grandfather!! Uggggghhhh!" Link whined again. Zelda tilted her head at him, confused as she said "B-but...that was 300 years ago...how did-?" "Time traveling was one of his specialties, he arrived here 100 years ago...please don't make me tell it..." Stupid old man...


	3. A New Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Link feels like he hit a dead end, his grandfather's influence starts to kick in as he realizes what his next move is. Surprisingly, it leads to his first meet with an old family friend he never knew about. What can the outcome be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took a YEAR to finally post a chapter. Really, i'm sorry, but remaking the notes to this old story just wasn't too thrilling to me. But, after seeing how many likes I got...I just couldn't say no! So, here's a short chapter for what's gonna come! I promise I'll finish this story sometime soon :)

Link felt lost, really lost. His plan didn’t go too well... you know, the plan where he was “gonna talk to the princess and start his journey to find the long lost prince”? Yeah, that wasn’t gonna happen. Link got some information about Prince (Y/N), yes, but was it USEFUL information? Not likely. Sadly enough, Zelda had no idea where her brother was being kept, and had an even lesser idea as to how Link could get to said mysterious destination. It was obvious that the prince was nowhere in main Hyrule, because Link must have already scoured every nook and cranny of the kingdom at least three times over in his previous journey. The prince, he can safely presume, wasn’t in the North, he wasn’t in the West, he wasn’t in the South, and most certainly he was not in the East. So, where could he be? That was definitely a tough question. 

Being stuck at a dead end is Link’s specialty, however, he’s seen many temples and dungeons in his life and was able to surpass them ALL. Many were confusing, and many more played mind tricks, like the issue he’s dealing with now. He had overcome so many obstacles that there was nothing he couldn’t solve. So, he made up his mind. In the dead of night, while everyone in the castle was soundly asleep, and the guards outside were making the racket of a mouse, Link wasted his precious dream time to come up with his own plan. Since he had seen all of Hyrule, and nothing had ever remotely lead to his dream prince, it’s apparent that he’ll have to travel outside of it to find clues of (Y/N)’s whereabouts. He’s heard of Labrynna and Holodrum, they’re the only two kingdoms outside of Hyrule, so maybe he’ll make preparations to set off in the morning. After all, he didn’t want to waste any more time, who knows what could happen to his prince? What if someone else finds him first?! That, he couldn’t even bare to think about. Just the thought of someone putting their grimey hands on his precious and delicate prince, taking him away from his actual hero and never to be seen again...He’ll slaughter anyone who tries to to pull that “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Link! What are you thinking?!” Link yelled to himself. Link shook his head, he just wasn’t thinking straight. He’s supposed to be protecting people, not slaughtering them for his own desires, yeesh. It’s funny how a mind can go astray so easily, lead up to so many different possibilities and then take a turn for the worst. His mind has done that quite a few times, but not enough to really cloud his judgment...just enough to think about for a quick second and erase immediately. But uh, that should be normal, right?

Link took a step out onto his guest room balcony, thinking that he needed a change of scenery. He took in a deep breath of the crisp and cool air, taking in the peaceful ambiance of the star-loaded sky and the quiet murmurs of the land. Ah, how relaxing. He exhaled and looked down at the princesses’s Kingdom, the slowly growing society with many more problems to come in the future that HE’LL have to fix. Yeah, real relaxing. When Link thought about it, though, it sure looked small compared to being ground level... because whenever he was down there, the streets seemed so lively and stretched out. There were houses lined up as far as the eye can see, and roadways that seemed to go on on and on like a maze, but yet up there at the balcony, he saw a small...town. That was kind of sad, in a sense; it should be bigger, and more “kingdom” like in his opinion. You know, more people and more economy for more homes and food, that kind of deal. Not that he was being too pushy, though, he can wait. He observed the land for a little bit, taking in its small stature and small population. In moments like these, Link wondered why Ganon, of all people, would wanna rule such a fragile kingdom. It wasn’t that impressive, but of course, it was much better compared to how it was back in his childhood. When he was ten, he had to rescue a kingdom that was mostly underground. Everyone was hiding in caves, and monsters were ruling the surface above. There were towns, yes, but only surrounding the castle, which was far away from main land Hyrule at the time.

Over the years, it was finally rebuilding itself, so he didn’t wanna harp on it too much. It was trying its best, as his grandfather would have said. Speaking of which, Link smirked as he took a peek toward a patch in the south, there he can see the graveyard where said grandfather was buried, right next to his grandmother, and if he squinted, he could spot the old house they used to reside in. The same house where Link used to spend his summers, listening to the crazy old man’s legends of avians and underground caves and what-not. Heh, the old coot’s life was full of adventure and fighting, not only that, he even died adventuring and fighting! Yup, even at the age of 81, the old man was trying out new things he shouldn’t. No one was really there that day, but Link’s grandmother figured he was trying to swat out some family Ache from the attic. Apparently, the mother Ache found Link’s grandfather’s actions offensive, and tried to attack him back. You can only imagine, his grandfather obviously fought back, a nice “challenge” for the old geezer. He took a swing at the Ache with a club, but due to the old age, everybody figured that his body couldn’t keep up with his active mind, and BOOM! He had a heart attack from the sudden jolt of excitement and died in the attic that night. Yep, his days of questing and rescuing were finally over, his body finally gave up after so long. Link felt horrible hearing the news that sad day, he really did like his grandfather all in all. 

But, of course, this was his grandfather he was talking about. After everything he had done, that man wouldn’t dare leave the world without one last say, in fact, he even left a note for Link. That’s right, Link, no one else in the family, there was a note especially for him. To this day he remembered reading it, thinking it was a goodbye letter or whatever. Pfft, yeah right. It said:

“To my dearest grandson, Link the Third. There has always been something I’ve wanted to tell you, it’s a little hard for me to write this, but someone’s gotta say it. I...remotely and truly see great courage in your eyes, more than anyone else can ever know. Ever since you were born, I knew that my life as a hero would be overcome by your own desire to protect and do what’s right. I saw your never ending potential, and as you grew up, I saw myself again... a young, thriving lad walking along the roads of Hyrule with a sword and shield in hand. I knew you would take my place as the defender of Hyrule, I was so sure of it, I knew you’d try to venture out and do better than anyone else who said otherwise. I was almost proud, I thought that I would finally rest in peace knowing you were there to protect my beloved land. But then, you turned out like your dim-witted father and couldn’t tell the difference between left and right. I bet you still look at your hands when turning a direction. 

Anyway, If you ever want DREAM about becoming a better knight than me, to finally shut me up and even remotely sharpening your skills so you can at least surpass a pile of dirt, then I have an offer. Though it is perpetually impossible for me to believe this, I figured I would give you a task that you can hopefully not screw up, as usual. I might as well be dead right now, so here it is: I admittedly have a quest I was never able to complete myself, if you can find out what it is and actually complete it for me, then I will admit you are the better hero. Find a note in my gravestone, I had it specially put there a head of time, only open it if you find out my uncompleted adventure and finally finish it. I would be proud by then, but after seeing your mishap of a birth, I’d be proud if you could actually create a doll with its head up right, not that you have a self reference to go by. Haha, I bet your face is priceless right now as your reading this, you really are easy to read at times, Link. 

Okay boy, go on adventuring and stop reading this old tumbleweed’s rant note! I’m counting on you, try to make me proud. You are my second chance, after all, you are the only one who could...make me feel like I wasn’t a complete failure in my life. Please finish what I started!

P.S. Tell him I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for not being a strong enough knight to save him myself.  
-Love, Link Senior”

Link was so confused when he read that note for the first time, he was only 11. Back then, he had no idea why his grandfather had so many adventures, he didn’t even know too much about his dream prince. But now...That last part made sense after all these years, he was talking about the prince from his past and in Link’s dreams. His task that wasn’t complete...it was the quest to free the prince from his slumber! The one special quest that he never finished. But, after such a close bondage, and after so many years...why DIDN’T his grandfather free him? How didn’t he? He had to have been the bravest and strongest knight of them all...he was smart and cunning and loyal...so what was he talking about in the note? In Link’s eyes, he was the best fighter in history! He was not a failure, he was sure of it. Link knew it must have been hard for his grandfather to not save his prince before he died, but surely it didn’t mean that he didn’t try, far from it! Link wished he could go back and comfort his grandpa, and tell him that it wasn’t his fault. He did all he could, and Link was 100% sure that his grandfather tried everything to bring Prince (Y/N) back, hence why he probably had adventures so much. For all of the mysteries about his grandfather that were resolving, it felt nice to finally know more about him, but...at the same time, it was sad to think that ALL of his grandfather’s life adventures...they were all most likely revolved around saving (Y/N)...and he thought he failed to do so in the end...that was depressing. Did he really think that 65 years of searching and questing was for nothing?

Link took in a deep breath, determination once again reaching its limit. He wasn’t going to fail his grandfather, in fact, he WILL prove him wrong! He’s going to prove to his grandfather that he wasn’t a failure, and that he actually helped free his prince! He didn’t die a broken man! All of those stories of his adventures, Link will have to remember them and use them to his advantage. After all, if they revolved around the prince, then surely he’ll get a clue as to where he was and how to get there! He was so sure his grandfather was there when they put away the prince, so maybe he leaked some information about his location in some of his stories? That’s a great lead. But yet, at the same time, what will he do when he gets there? If his grandfather couldn’t figure out how to wake up their prince, then how can Link? His grandfather scounged all of Hyrule, and outside of Hyrule, to look for answers, and never got anything. This is where Link will have to stray from his grandfather and do something he didn’t do...but what would that be?! The old man did everything! Tried everything! Or did he…?

While Link zoned out in thought, a small light shined in the corner of his eye. Being the curious sort, he interrupted his thoughts and looked over to see where the light was coming from. Down in the Castle Town, he could slightly see a figure in the streets, shadowed by the darkness of the night. The figure was wearing a loose black cloak, and it seemed to hold up a suspicious shining item toward someone’s house. The figure was just standing there, not moving a hair on its body as its item kept growing brighter and brighter. Link didn’t like the situation, not at all. He recognized the house, and it belonged to a very nice shaman with his wonderful wife and six daughters. Whatever the person was doing, it couldn’t have been good. 

Link got into a defensive state and hopped down from the small balcony, landing silently on the soft garden grass like a rabbit, thanks to his Winged Boots. They always came in handy to make him feel lighter for easy travel and large leaping, and in this situation, he was going to use them to sneak up to the figure undetected. He snuck and slithered out of the castle walls, carefully walking toward the shadowy figure in the distance. He kept his clear, black eyes locked on his target, unmoving as his feet did all the work to shorten the wide berth. When he was close enough, the figure started to move again, and Link forced himself to hide as he watched his foe’s actions. The figure, surprisingly, just put away his item and slowly sat on the house’s steps, moaning and groaning a bit on the way down. This reminded Link of how his grandfather used to do the same exact thing, back when he was alive, as he used to settle his weary bones onto the old rocking chair and got ready to tell his grandkids another story. This similarity indicated that the figure was probably very old, but Link couldn’t be too sure so early. Sighing in discontent, the figure took off his hood, revealing that he was, indeed, a meare old man, and a Sheikah at that. Link could tell by the shining silver hair and the red eyes that he was of another race, but that didn’t mean he was friendly. The old man took out a pipe and started to puff some tobacco, looking up at the night sky with the face of pure sadness. It was funny how similar the old man was to Link’s grandfather, because Link’s grandpa used to give the same exact face when he was alone. But whenever Link asked...his grandma used to say the same exact thing every time: “That’s just his thinking face”. Yeah, thinking asen how he could never be with Prince (Y/N) ever again. Link couldn’t imagine the heartbreak when his grandfather realized he was too old to be with the prince...if he ever DID save him. 

Such thoughts made Link feel all of his grandfather’s pain punch him right in the heart, it really stung to think such a morbid topic. But, that couldn’t stop him, he had to stop having his mind wander, he had to focus on the main topic: Which was to put his grandpa in peace and save their Prince. He knew the old man was watching him right now, so Link had to make the most of it and make him proud! Not of Link, but of himself too! His life was not in vain, and Link needs to drill it through that man’s thick head.

Link shook his head and took in a deep breath, ready to take some action toward the old man. As he was about to get out from behind his hiding spot in the alleyway, he was utterly shocked when he heard the old Sheikah speak. “How long are you going to stare, lad? Neither of us are getting any younger, you know” the man croaked in his aged voice. The man didn’t seem fazed from his smoking, but Link, on the other hand, stood paralyzed for a moment, trying to comprehend what just happened. How did he know he was there?! He was sure to be quiet, did he give himself away while he was thinking? He must be a magic monster in disguise, or something…

With that in mind, Link prepared himself and stayed on alert as he advanced toward the Sheikah at a slow pace, ready to pull out his steel blade sword at any time. The air seemed to stay still, and the night air become chilly due to the tension between the two, especially under Link’s suspicious eye. After a few steps, he took a precaution and stopped at the dead center of the street, leaving plenty of fighting space for him to maneuver in. Great, now he was ready for anything. The old man, however, simply watched Link in amusement and laughed when he stopped moving. What was so funny? “Well, well, well...if it isn’t the grandson of that old Castle Knight, heheheh. I can tell by the way you go up to people, your just like him!” the old man explained in a raggedy voice. The old man then coughed deeply from the smoke he blew, but yet continued to breath it in as if it was completely normal. Smoking was so disgusting in Link’s opinion, he was glad to live under a smoke-free house when he was little. 

“You...knew my grandfather?” Link asked suspiciously. The old man chuckled a little bit and put out his pipe, putting it away and patting the spot next to him. “Oi boy, you’ll get wrinkles like your old man if you keep looking at me like that. Come on, sit down, I mean you no harm....honest” he said as he put his hands up in defense. Indeed, he did seemed unarmed, but Link couldn’t trust it too much, so he kept his left hand ready to strike as he sat down on the stone steps of the shaman’s house, twitching with anticipation. “Now boy, is this really how you treat your grandfather’s old friend? I only helped that old windbag try to save our precious Sandman Prince after all, at least show a little respect” the man said. Link’s defense was completely dropped upon hearing those words, he just couldn’t believe his ears. “Wait, you...you knew about his quest to free Prince (Y/N)?” Link asked in a low tone, trying to see if the old man’s words were actually truthful. “Oh yes, he just always went on and on about some prince he had to save back in the day. I honestly thought he had nothing better to do” the old man joked. 

Link hummed in thought, trying to think if his grandfather really did meet a person like this. The old man claimed to be his “old friend”, but did his grandfather really have help in finding the prince? Or anything at all…? He had to think hard...Who else would know of the prince’s existence? Unless...“Wait a minute...then you must be Mosol! The Sheikah who helped grandpa fight off those Gladiator Lynels at the Lynna City Colosseum!” Link yelled in excitement. The old man stared at Link’s sparkling eyes, seeing how much energy was being conjured up from one little story. He chuckled, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Heh, yup, that’d be me...Mosol Katsune, at your service” he greeted, giving a slight bow to Link as the hero in green hopped up and down on his seat. “Wow! I never thought I would meet you! I mean-this is-I can’t-Just... wow! I heard so much about you!” Link said as he was fangirling like a giddy teenager (which he was). 

Link remembered hearing about the man named “Mosol”, his grandfather had many adventures with him in the past. Why, every weekend he would come over, and a story about pirates, treasure, and secret underground dragon nests would erupt, and always did the name “Mosol” show up in there somehow. The first time he ever heard that name was in that story of the Lynna City Colosseum: Link’s grandfather was kidnapped as a gladiator, and he had to fight off armored Lynels with just a short sword and a shield. The king was cruel, and he didn’t care for the life of the castle knight, so he pretty much allowed the Lynels to do whatever they wanted to the new “trespasser”. It was a good fight, but not a fair one, and he wouldn’t have won if it weren’t for the Sheikah, Mosol. The Lynels were cheating like rats, they kept using teamwork against a single opponent whose weapon couldn’t even dent their armor. Luckily, in the nick of time, Mosol came in to cast them with a powerful thunder spell, knocking some sense out of the Lynels so that his grandfather could finish them off with a lethal blow! It was one of Link’s favorite stories, until his grandpa used it as a comparison to Link’s playground fights back in grade school. He never really felt the urge to start fights after that...which was probably a good thing. 

Link’s fidgeting caused the man to laugh again, having to hold his chest from how much his laughter hurt. His old age, also, was keeping up with him. “Ai lad, and may I say I heard a great deal about you too? Not only from the kingdom and how you saved it two times already...but even from your grandfather as well”   
“What? Really? What did he say?”  
“Now, If I told you, it wouldn’t be as special”  
“Aw come on, Mosol...tell me! Please?”  
“Well…”  
“Please?!”  
“Ah what the heck” Mosol admitted in defeat. Link was ecstatic to hear what his grandfather had to say about him, he even felt like he was five again, pumped up to hear all about his grandpa’s life. Especially, if it was coming from the second coolest guy in the kingdom, in his opinion. “Excitable little fella, aren't ya?” Mosol commented. Link ignored his comment, however, and only had his ears open for his grandfather. Mosol shrugged at the action and continued his explanation unhesitantly, well knowing what Link was in for. “Well, if you really want to know…” he started. “Yeah? Yeah?!” Link asked at the edge of his seat, his energy rising up to the brim of his body. What did his grandpa say? Getting praises from his grandpa was the rarest thing in the world! In fact, the letter was his first appraisal! Here comes the second… “He said…” Here it comes…! “That you are possibly the stupidest trainee he ever had, and that your loser father was to blame for your ignorant and unchangeable skills. I mean really, who the heck tries to use a sword for a shovel? And then try to hop over it like it was a leap frog buddy?” “I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD!!” Gods, his only regret was that HE didn’t kill that old man!! Urg, even when he’s DEAD he never stops!!!


End file.
